TODD BARTON for MAYOR of CRAWFORDSVILLE

ACTION PLAN
for

Making Craw ford sville Great Again

Introduction Craw ford sville is at a fork in the road . We face further econom ic stagnation, d ecline in our infrastructure, d ow ntow n, and build ings, erosion of our property values, and loss of hom e-tow n prid e. Or w e can integrate change and m ove Craw ford sville in the right d irection. Its been said that theres nothing w orse than failing to plan for success. And I think its the current ad m inistrations failure to plan thats caused us to struggle in recent tim es. Craw ford sville can be great again. I am running to be Mayor of Craw ford sville, because I believe m y ten -point plan provid es the road m ap that gets us there. This plan w ill be im p lem ented on d ay one of my ad m inistr ation if Im fortunate enough to serve you as your m ayor. But this plan is based on w hat I believe m ust be d one so that w e can shape w hat Craw ford sville w ill be GREAT AGAIN ! My plan focuses on ten aspects of our com m unity and w hat your m ayor and city governm ent m ust d o to lead Craw ford sville back. The fram ew ork for m y plan includ es: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Econom ic Developm ent Fiscal Managem ent Ethical Stand ard s Empow erm ent and Open Com m unication Effective City Services Revitalization of Blighted Areas Intergovernm ental Cooperation Infrastructure Rehabilitation and Grow th Annexation and Growth Im proved Quality of Life

If you have any questions as you read through each of the sections below , please d o not hesitate to contact m e on Facebook at Tod d Barton for Mayor of Craw ford sville. You m ay also reach m e d irectly by telephone at 376-6651. I look forw ard to your questions and any inp ut you m ay have. I believe in m y plan, and I also know that together, w e can m ake Craw ford sville GREAT AGAIN .

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1. Economic D evelopment
Econom ic Developm ent and job creation are the found ation on w hich all other com ponents of my plan are built. The tim e to get serious about d eveloping our local econom y and job creation has been upon us for som e tim e. Unfortunately, w e have failed to take proactive steps to turn things around . This is unquestionably being d em onstrated by the need to continuously cut services to a point that it begins to threaten the quality of life w e expect in our com m unity. By continuing d own this path w e face the inevitable r esult, a com m unity that no longer resem bles that w ith w hich w e have grow n accu stom ed , but rather a com m unity w ith a m uch low er stand ard of living. I believe that w e m ust aggressively focus our energy on grow ing our econom ic base, w hich w ill result in personal and com m unity revenue creation. This is the only logical w ay to preserve or im prove our quality of life. I fully agree w ith The Papers Tim Tim m onss recent assessm ent of Craw ford sville that w e are d ying from a thousand sm all cuts. We have continued to lose jobs in our com m u nity and , unfortunately, the outlook is grim unless w e take significant action quickly. We face the likelihood of more job losses and have no real prospects for significant job creation . This places u s in a d ow nw ard spiral of end lessly cutting services and low ering the stand ard of living in our com m unity. I believe current econom ic d evelopm ent efforts are falling short for several reasons : We need a vital, active, creative econom ic d evelopm ent approach. The econom ic d evelopm ent m od el currently being used is substantially the sam e as the plan our com petitor com m unities are using. If w e continue to d o things just like those other com m unities, w hat sets us apart and m akes us stand out to potential investors? The answ er is p ainfully obvious, nothing. We need a new partnership and cooperation w ith our nongovernmental econom ic d evelopm ent organization, Montgom ery County Econom ic Developm ent (MCED). MCED is w ell organized and blessed w ith the insight and experience of many talented , successful ind ivid uals. But it lacks a cohesive sense of d irection or goals. I believe that as the county seat, Craw ford sville, and its m ayor, m ust take point on responsibility for setting the overall econom icd evelopm ent agend a. We m ust increase the citys support for MCED and w ork on a sound , team -based approach. MCED is not receiving ad equate support from the city of Craw ford sville. The citys current efforts can be d escribed as a fractured 3 of 21

approach at best. The city m ust increase MCED support in tw o w ays. First, the m ayor and the m ayors ad m inistrative team m ust be fu lly active and engaged w ith MCED. And second , the city m ust increase its financial contributions to MCED. The citys current contribution of $15,000 per year send s a clear signal that econom ic d evelopm ent is not as im portant as the other things on w hich w e spend m u ch m ore. Of course, increased fund ing m ust be tied to increased perform ance expectations. This is a reasonable expectation any future city council w ould have in consid ering increasing our MCED contribution. We m ust operate w ith a form al, com prehensive econom ic d evelopment plan for our com m unity. The current ad m inistration lack of any plan is a fund am ental flaw that leaves us sim ply tread ing w ater and trying n ot to lose as m uch as the guy d ow n the road . Planning is param ount to success in any end eavor . Econom ic d evelopm ent is certainly no d ifferent. Without a plan w e find ourselves d rifting and expend ing our lim ited resources in inefficient w ays. Do w e continue m ore of the sam e or d o w e seek a solution? A com prehensive plan offers our only real chance at avoid ing m ore of the sam e and the potential for a d ifferent outcom e. Sim ply w ishing for that big em ployer to happen along d efies all current statistics and not a plan. Should w e continue to pin all our hopes on this? We m ust face the inevitability of change. Rem aining passively attached to the econom ic d evelopm ent id eals of the past w ill m ost certainly guarantee failure. Change is now happening so quickly that w e m ust becom e increasingly flexible and prepared to shift our focus on an ongoing basis. Free m arkets, em erging econom ies, and the technology revolution m ake future econom ic d evelopm ent planning a very fluid process. Your m ayor m ust w ork closely and in cooperation w ith county officials and believe that w e should approach econom ic d evelopm ent as a com m unity rather than a city and a county. The current approach is d isjointed , w ith separate and d istinct city and county involvem ent. This fragm ented , d ivid ed approach d oesnt benefit either of us. This approach is further com plicated by the overlapping roles of nongovernm ental agencies. Potential investors often rem ark that their first im pression is that the city and county bicker, com pete, or just d ont get along. Those looking to invest, plant their business and create jobs d o not w ant to d eal w ith these issues, and so its sim ply too easy for the investor or businessperson to pass on our com m unity . This m ust change. We m ust actively engage state econom ic d evelopm ent lead ers and utilize state resources. The State of Ind iana has recently invested heavily in attracting 4 of 21

business to our state. Unfortunately, evid ence of our involvem ent or benefit from such efforts and use of our state resources is non-existent. Why are w e not seeking to benefit from these expend itures and efforts m ad e at the state level? We m ust create a sales team for Craw ford sville. This w ill consist of a group of local governm ent lead ers, business lead ers, and interested citizens to effectively sell our com m unity to those w ho are consid ering investing here. A first im pression can be the only im pression. So w e m ust put Craw ford svilles best foot forw ard w ith potential investors and businesspeople. There are m any talented people in this com m unity w ho love to show it off and m ake people feel w elcom e w hile bringing to light our proud history and positive attributes. We m ust call upon those w ho can help u s m ake the sale and utilize their passion for this com m unity. We m ust d evelop and harness our com m unity prid e. To attract potential investors w e m ust aw aken and utilize the abund ant prid e that exists in this com m unity. Visitors and potential investors are greeted by crum bling , aband oned build ings, w eed infested sid ew alks, d ecaying w elcom e signs, and a general lack of upkeep in m any highly visible areas. What m essage d oes this send ? We m ust rekind le our abund ant com m unity prid e to clean these areas up and m ake a d ifference. Proper lead ership can m ake it happen. We m ust m arket our Com m erce Park. Recent efforts have sim ply m issed the m ark or fallen short. The ongoing failure to secure a corporate tenant in the ind ustrial park speaks for itself. Again, w e can continue to take the sam e approach or w e can m ake changes. Mem bers of the red evelopm ent com m ission have w orked very hard , largely at their ow n expense, to m ake the park m arketable and position it for success. But our failure to d evelop a clear d evelopm ent plan or to utilize m arketing professionals, su ch as com m ercial brokers, to help us obtain the d esired results is a clear contributor to our failure to secure a corporate tenant.

The follow ing actions are necessary to effectively ad d ress each of these shortfalls. H eres m y action plan for Craw ford svilles and our com m unitys econom ic future: Bartons Economic D evelopment Action Plan: 1. Im m ed iately increase the citys support of MCED efforts by pled ging active involvem ent by the m ayor and ad m inistrative team . If MCED is to serve as our Lead Econom ic Develop Organization (LEDO) w e m u st properly support them and provid e them w ith the tools and m otivation to succeed . I w ill seek ad d itional fund ing from the city council for MCED that is com parable to w hat Montgom ery 5 of 21

County is provid ing. H ow ever, the increase in support w ill be cou pled w ith increased perform ance expectations. The follow ing actions are essential to im proving our success and w ill be related to MCED in the form of perform ance objectives: a. MCED w ill com plete a Resource Assessment Pole that includ es the d evelopm ent opinions of each of MCEDs Directors and specific m em bers of the business com m unity. Copies of all com pleted polls w ill be shared w ith the Montgom ery County Com m issioners, Montgom ery County Council, Craw ford svilles m ayor, city council and red evelopm ent com m ission. This m ust be com pleted by March 1, 2012. b. MCED w ill present city and county lead ership w ith an Economic D evelopment Market Ranking Report. This report should , at a m inim um : Id entify those resources available in our com m unity for practical job creating m arket exploitation. Id entify legitim ately available econom ic d evelopm ent m arkets based upon the resources id entified . (What are our niche m arkets?) Create m arket goals based on the resources and m arkets id entified . Goals should be ranked and practical in term s of public cost as w ell as d em onstrating logical and com petitive ad vantages for our specific com m unity. The report should be approved and signed off on by the MCED Board of Directors. This m ust be com pleted by May 1, 2012.

2. MCED m ust create and subm it a com prehensive w ritten Plan for the Economic D evelopment of the Craw fordsville/Montgomery County Community. The plan m ust: a. be an evolution of the polling and m arketing reports above b. be original and specifically d eveloped for this com m unity c. id entify our strengths to be utilized and the m arkets to be exploited d . reference objectively logical argum ents and know led geable resources e. m ust clearly d efine d etailed m arketing tactics, bud gets and tim elines The final plan m u st be ratified by a m ajority of the MCED Board of Directors and then subm itted to Montgom ery County Comm issioners/ Council as w ell as the 6 of 21

Craw ford sville Mayor/ City Council for their consid eration and approval. This m ust be com pleted by August 1, 2012. 3. As m ayor, I w ould assum e a lead ership role by facilitating m eetings to be held no less than m onthly at w hich all those w ho play a role in our econom ic d evelopm ent w ill build collaboration, share inform ation, exchange id eas in a cooperative m anner. These m eetings should includ e representation from county com m issioners, county council, city council, MCED, Montgom ery County Cham ber of Com m erce, Craw ford sville Red evlopm ent Com m ission and any other groups d eem ed appropriate. These m eetings w ill begin being co nd ucted no later than January 31, 1012. 4. A substantial relationship w ill be established w ith state econom ic d evelopm ent lead ers and every effort w ill be m ad e to ensure that w e are taking full ad vantage of their efforts to prom ote business in Ind iana. We m ust capitalize on the states use of these resources. Initial m eetings w ill be held as part of the MCED process of constructing our econom ic d evelopm ent plan and the process of incorporating the states resource and efforts into our ow n efforts m ust be ta ken into consid eration in the d evelopm ent of the plan.

5. As m ayor, I w ill assem ble a d atabase of local governm ent lead ers, business lead ers, ed ucators and citizens w ho are passionate about selling our com m unity and are w illing to assist w hen potential inv estors visit our com m unity. This w ill be a d iverse group w hose varied background s and interests m ay be called upon for specific situations. This d atabase can be u sed by city or county officials as w ell as MCED to build a sales team specific tailored to best m ake potential investors feel m ost w elcom e and encouraged to invest in our com munity. This d atabase w ill be in place by February 29, 2012 but w ill require ongoing m aintenance as interest by volunteer m em bers change over tim e.

6. The city w ill d evelop a volunteer based program for those w ho are w illing to give a sm all am ount of tim e in ord er to im prove our com m unity. This group is based on the strong sense of prid e present in our com m unity. Although there are m any potential roles for such volunteers their ability to im pact the overall look and presentation of our com m unity d uring efforts to recruit new investors is im m easurable. Sm all things such as rem oving w eed s from d ow ntow n sid ew alks and p icking up trash from streets can go a long w ay in m aking us m ore attractive. It send s a clear m essage to potential investors. This group w ill be form ed and volunteers w ill begin being recruited by April 1, 2012. The d irector of parks & recreation w ill be responsible for m anaging the activities of this group.

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7. Our relationship w ith existing em ployers w ill be nurtured and strengthened . I w ill set out on a plan to m eet w ith the senior lead ership of all our m ajor em ployers by arranging tim es to call on them at their corporate head quarters. A strong, personal relationship creates a bond that solid ifies our position to retain current jobs w hile encouraging ad d itional grow th. We m ust show genuine interest in the success of these em ployers and their local operations by und ertaking an effort to gauge how w e can best h elp them in Craw ford sville and prom ote the grow th of their operations.

8. The process of locating or expand ing a business in our com m u nity m ust be sim plified . Those w ishing to invest here are currently faced w ith an end less chase of perm its and p aper betw een m ultiple city and county offices. This is very d iscouraging and stifles grow th in ad d ition to send ing a clear signal that w e d ont have our act together. I w ill und ertake talks w ith county officials and m ake every attem pt to d evelop a m utually agreeable arrangem ent und er w hich the offices of Craw ford sville City Planning Departm ent and the Montgom ery County Build ing Departm ent w ould be located w ithin the sam e space. This w ould be follow ed by a creation of a com prehensive set of steps that those w ishing to build or invest could follow . In a sense, one-stop shopping. If som eone w ants to invest in our com m unity, w hether through expansion or new investm ent w e should roll out the red carpet and d o everything to assist them , not provid e them w ith the sense of being given the runaround . Although this is d epend ent upon buy in from county officials m y goal is to have such a m ove com plete by June 1, 2012. 9. Every effort m ust be taken to ensure that tax abatem ents are achieving their d esired effect. Although the planning d irector assem bles as m uch inform ation as possible concerning su ch requests and requests for continuation of abatem ents there are often unansw ered questions. Businesses often fail to attend m eetings of the city council at w hich their requests are being consid ered . This leaves council m em bers w ith a tough choice and the d ecision is usually m ad e to grant the abatem ent even if im portant inform ation is lacking. N o one certainly w ants to vote against an abatem ent continuation only to see a business pack u p and leave tow n taking jobs w ith it. I w ill seek to institute a policy requiring site visits by ad m inistration officials and council representatives prior to the request for a new or renew al being placed on the council agend a. These visits w ill ensure that all the need ed inform ation is available for council consid eration and show that the city is truly interested in the business and its expansion. This process w ill begin w ith any abatem ent requests m ad e after February 1, 2012.

10. We m ust take sud d en and d rastic steps to im prove our presence on the w orld w id e-w eb. When m ost us seek to learn som ething about a com m unity tod ay our 8 of 21

first stop is usually the internet. Unfortunately, our presence on the w eb is d ism al at best. The citys w ebsite is shockingly sparse and plain, lacking the m ost basic inform ation or even the ability to send the m ayor an e-m ail. What kind of im pression d oes this m ake on som eone w ho m akes an attem pt to learn m ore about us? I w ould propose that it leaves a m uch less than favorable im pression. I w ill change our w eb presence to m ake it not only m ore beneficial to local resid ents but attractive and inviting to those w ho seek to learn m ore about us. A new , appropriate w eb presence w ill be in place by April 1, 2012 and w ill be m aintained in the proper m anner. This includ es not only the citys w ebsite but im proved w eb m arketing strategies through search engines, etc. 11. Every effort w ill be m ad e to cultivate the d evelopm ent of local, sm all businesses. Approxim ately 80% of job creation in the U.S. is by com panies em ploying less than 10 people. We can no longer ignore this statistic and m u st create an environm ent of entrepreneurialism . Locally grow n com panies the ones that create local jobs and grow local w ealth offer a m uch higher econom ic return than exclusively big gam e hunting in ind u strial d evelopm ent, a practice that is becom ing increasingly expensive and far less rew ard ing than in the past. The Barton ad m inistration w ill im plem ent policies that encourage and prom ote local sm all-business d evelopm ent: Stream lined perm itting process through the one-stop shopping process outlined earlier A com plete review of all city ord inances and policies w ill be cond u cted to m ake sure they encourage sm all business d evelopm ent and cha nges w ill be proposed w here need ed A program w ill be d eveloped to assist sm all businesses in accessing venture capital as financing is an essential ingred ient to their d evelopm ent. While the city cannot finance these businesses w e can certainly have alrea d y laid the ground w ork through an established program w hich links sm all businesses w ith potential lend ers and investors.

It seem s evid ent that entrepreneurial d evelopm ent w ill be a part of MCEDs new econom ic d evelopm ent p lan; and the city w ill create an entrepreneurial d evelopm ent program to com plim ent this. The Barton ad m inistration w ill im m ed iately set out to encourage sm all business d evelopm ent and a form al program w ill be in place by October 1, 2012.

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2. Fiscal Management
Tw o challenges m ust be effectively ad d ressed to w ork tow ard sound ly m anaging the Citys finances: 1) the bud get generally, and 2) em ployee health insurance. As your m ayor I w ill take the follow ing actions regard ing each challenge: Budget Challenge: The lack of econom ic d evelopm ent, the continued loss of jobs and a housing slu m p have all com bined w ith property tax caps to produce very challenging fiscal tim es for the City of Craw ford sville. This challenge has only been m ad e w orse by the lack of fiscal oversight on the m ayors part. Each d epartm ent head is currently preparing their proposed bud get on an ind ivid ual basis w ith little m ayoral oversight and no apparent coordination am ong d epartm ents. This has resulted in proposed bud gets being subm itted to the city council w hich exceed the anticipated revenue. In short, the recent proposed bud gets have not been balanced and the city council has been forced to m ake significant cuts d ue to the lack of mayoral lead ership. Bud get hearings have frequently becom e a battle, pitting city d epartm ents against one another. This is ind icative of the lack of a cohesive plan on the part of the current adm inistration. Action Plan: As m ayor I w ill w ork w ith d epartm ent head s to d evelop a proposed bud get that reflects our collective priorities for the follow ing year and is WITH IN anticipated revenues. This w ill be d one in the follow ing fashion: 1. Work closely w ith the clerk treasurer to d eterm ine the anticipated revenue for the follow ing year. 2. Assem ble d epartm ent head s and d evelop goals for the follow ing year, w hich allow d epartm ents to effectively d eliver services and position the city to achieve our long-term goals. 3. Prepare d epartm ental bud gets in close consu ltation w ith each d epartm ent head , clerk treasurer and the chairm an of the Craw ford sville City Council Fiscal Affairs. The proposed bud get shall reflect our goals for the follow ing year and the sum of all proposed d epartm ental bud gets shall not exceed the anticipated revenue. 4. The proposed balanced bud get w ill then be subm itted to the city council for their consid eration. 5. It should be noted that priorities w ill need to be shifted from one year to the next in ord er to achieve long-term goals. For exam ple, extra resources m ight need to be focused on one d ep artm ent for a year to make capital purchases and then shifted to another d epartm ent the follow ing year.

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Employee Health Insurance Challenge: The acquisition of health insurance for city em ployees has becom e an increasingly expensive and challenging p roced ure. The citys portion of p rem ium s represents a significant expend iture w ithin our annual bud get and the em ployees portion has continuously increased , frequently offsetting the m inim al raises that have been given. I recognize the im portance of quality benefits in attracting and retaining the quality em ployees w hich allow us to m ost effectively and efficiently d eliver city services. Action Plan: A truly com petitive process m u st be put into place that w ill allow the city and its em ployees to obtain the best value for the price paid . Und er the current ad m inistration, a com petitive process is not in place. The process is only open to one insurance agency w ho usually offers the city a few plans through d ifferent provid ers. The lack of an open, com petitive process, in w hich any insu rance p rovid er m ay bid on provid ing health insurance stifles com petition and leaves the taxpayer unsure if they are getting the best value for their m oney. I w ill institute a com petitive bid d ing process to acquire health insurance w hen the citys current policy is set to expire. The services of an ind epend ent, insurance professional w ho shall be exclud ed from taking part in the process or provid ing insurance to the city m ay be used to help evaluate the cost and coverage of proposed plans and to assist the city in d eveloping a long-term strategy for controlling health insurance costs through actions su ch as w ellness program s and possible consolid ation w ith other large group purchasers. The com petitive bid d ing process w ill be in p lace upon the first hea lth insurance renew al process und er the Barton ad m inistration.

3. Ethical Standards
As your m ayor I w ill change the current practice of accepting substantial gifts from those w ho d o business w ith the city. Accepting such gifts, although not illegal, is not consistent w ith m y ow n view of how elected and appointed officials should cond u ct them selves. I d ont believe it leaves officials free to m ake d ecisions based solely on the best interest of the city and its taxpayers. It is currently com m on practice to accept gifts of tickets to professional sporting events such as Ind ianapolis Colts gam es and the Brickyard 400 as w ell as collegiate events such as Purd ue University sporting events. These tickets often includ e parking, a suite pass, free food and beverages, w hich are all are usually provid ed by those receiving business w orth thousand s of our tax d ollars. 11 of 21

Action Plan: I w ill sign and ad here to an ethics policy w hich prohibits m e from accepting substantial gifts from those w ho d o business w ith the city. I w ill also require all d epartm ent head s and m ayoral appointm ents to sign this agreement as w ell. Discussing business w ith the city over a m eal is consid ered a norm al business practice. A business provid ing m e w ith sports tickets, sponsorships for m y ch ild ren, or other substantial gifts, how ever, is a problem . I w ill not take part in this or allow it. If I w ant to attend a Colts gam e, I w ill pay m y ow n w ay. In short, there should not be a For Sale sign on the Crawford sville Mayors Office.

4. Empow erment and Open Communication

Challenge: Many resid ents feel uninform ed and out of touch w ith the activities and d ecisions of our city governm ent. While trad itional barriers such as busy fam ily sched ules and physical lim itations are largely to blam e there are m any options available tod ay to overcom e these obstacles, inform ing and involving those who m ight have been unable to participate before. The Barton ad m inistration w ill im plem ent a plan of open, tw o-w ay com m unication w ith the citizens of this com m unity that w ill allow them to becom e better inform ed about the activities of city governm ent thus m aking them m ore likely to actively participate in the d ecision m aking process that w ill shape our future. The Barton ad m inistration w ill operate und er a policy of open com m unication: Craw ford svilles w ebsite w ill und ergo a com plete renovation to provid e an interactive forum for tw o-w ay com m unication betw een the city and citizens. This w ill includ e a com plete view off all city services, facilitate com m unication betw een the public and the service provid ers. As w e m ove into the future it is im perative that citizens be able to city services and cond u ct business w ith the city via the internet. Citizens w ill be able to easily e-m ail the m ayor, city council m em bers, Departm ent head s, and other city officials from one w ebpage. All d epartm ent head s and m em bers of the ad m inistrative team w ill be expected to take calls from the public w hen available and prom ptly return calls w hen not. Citizens shall be able to m ake an appointm ent to speak w ith the m ayor, any d epartm ent head or m em ber of the ad m inistration w ithin a reasonable am ount of tim e. The m ayors office w ill provid e constant, ongoing press releases and inform ation to the new s m ed ia and w ill be read ily accessible to the m ed ia

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As m ayor, I w ill provid e a quarterly written assessm ent of the city and progress being m ad e. This assessm ent w ill be released to the new s m ed ia and w ill be m ad e available on the city w ebsite. Copies w ill also be m ailed to any citizen requesting one. Each d epartm ent head w ill provid e a w ritten assessm ent of the activities of their d epartm ent sem i-annu ally. These assessm ents w ill be m ad e available and released in the sam e m anner as the m ayors. The sched ule for these w ill be ad justed so that they are not all being com pleted and released at the sam e tim e. Inform ation released by the ad m inistration or city d epartm ents w ill be provid ed to all new s m ed ia outlets in an equal and sim ultaneous m anner. As m ayor, I w ill have a published tim e every m onth d uring w hich he w ill be available in an accessible, public location w ithin the city. This location w ill rotate and change from m onth to m onth. (exam ple: local restaurants, etc.) During this tim e anyone can stop and speak w ith the m ayor regard ing their concerns or id eas. The Barton ad m inistrations policy w ill be that all public m eetings w ill be held in locations that are easily accessible to the public, cond u cive to public attend ance, equipped w ith ad equate sound system s that allow the public to follow the d iscu ssion and are held at tim es that encourage public participation.

All of these policies w ill be im plem ented on January 1, 2012.

5.

Effective City Services

Effective and efficient city services are critical to our quality of life and to future grow th and w e are very fortunate to be served by m any highly capable, d ed icated em ployees. The city tasks d ifferent d epartm ents w ith carrying out these services and in som e cases too m any resources are being com m itted and in others not enough resources are being com m itted . The Barton ad m inistration w ill und ertake an evaluation of all d epartm ents and services to ensure services are being d elivered in the m ost efficient m anner. Overarching Strategies: a. Interd epartm ental Cooperation: Monthly d epartm ent head m eetings w ill be held to facilitate open com m unication betw een d epartm ents, foster cooperation and ensure that w e are all focused on the sam e goals. 13 of 21

Departm ents w ill face strong encouragem ent to assist one another in d elivering services. Som e capital item s such as vehicles and equipm ent w ill be shared betw een d epartm ents. For example: several d epartm ents m aintain vehicles for the purpose of being used by city em ployees w hen they travel out of tow n on city business. These vehicles are notoriously not fuel efficient and in poor cond ition. It w ould m ake m ore sense to have few er, m ore efficient pool cars that w ould be shared am ong d epartm ents than to continue the current m ethod . Departm ents w ill assem ble a list of com m only used good s and services and w e w ill begin the process of negotiating in bulk, as a group, for better prices. This isnt alw ays possible but in m any cases w e could realize substantial savings by approaching this together. Beginning in 2013 the city w ill ad vertise for bid s annually for com m only used prod ucts. This annual bid sheet can then be used by d epartm ents for the next year. Exam ples includ e: bulk petroleum prod ucts, office prod ucts, etc. Fleet m aintenance services w ill be consolid ated no later than January 1, 2013.

b. Com m unication and Innovation: Tod ays w orkforce has changed and em ployees are d riven by d ifferent need s. Employees w ill be encouraged to openly com m unicate w ith d epartm ent lead ers and be allow ed to share innovated id eas for im proving the d elivery of services. Mayor Barton w ill have an open -d oor policy. While em ployees are encouraged to com m unicate w ith their supervisors any em ployee w ishing to speak w ith the m ayor d irectly regard ing any m atter w ill be free to d o so. Mayor Barton w ill restore the practice of d elivering a State of The City ad d ress annually to the citizens. This w ill be d elivered in February of each year and w ill begin in February of 2012.

D epartment Specific Objectives: a. Streets & Sanitation: A m aster plan for ongoing m aintenance/ replacem ent of streets w ill be utilized A m aster plan for the ongoing m aintenance/ replacem ent of capital equipm ent w ill be utilized 14 of 21

The status of trash collection w ill be evaluated annually and a report concerning the expense of such, along w ith suggested ad justm ents, w ill be forw ard ed to the city council for their consid eration Snow rem oval plans w ill be evaluated on an ongoing basis to ensure w e are able to com plete it in the most tim ely, cost efficient m anner Discussions w ill be held w ith county officials to explore w ays in w hich the city street d epartm ent and county highw ay can com e together und er agreem ents to share large equipm ent that isnt used often, cooperate in purchase of supplies for better pricing (for exam ple: salt, sand , asphalt) and increase the efficiency of each others operations

b. Police Departm ent: The Craw ford sville Police Departm ent is essential in m aintaining the quality of life w e expect, a life free of crim e and violence. A m aster plan for the ongoing m aintenance/ replacem ent of capital equipm ent w ill be d eveloped and utilized . Policies that d evelop and foster open, tw o-w ay com m unication betw een the public and d epartm ent ad m inistrators w ill be d eveloped and im plem ented . Policies that encourage constructive feed back from officers regard ing the effectiveness of operations w ill be d eveloped and im plem ented . As m ayor, I w ill m eet quarterly w ith representatives of Bald w in Mem orial Lod ge #90, Fraternal Ord er of Police to facilitate open tw o-w ay com m unication and gauge to the effectiveness and efficiency of operations.

c. Fire Departm ent & Em ergency Med ical Services: A m aster plan for the ongoing m aintenance/ replacem ent of capital equipm ent w ill be d eveloped and utilized The d epartm ents current rank structure w ill be evaluat ed w ith input from d epartm ent m em bers, ranking officers, IAFF Local 4143 representatives and the d epartm ents ad m inistrative team . The current structure seem s to be inefficient and in need of mod ernization. Recom m end ations for changes, if any, w ill be d ue back to the Mayor by March 1, 2012. A Metropolitan Board of Fire Com m issioners w ill be established and governing control of the Fire Departm ent w ill be transferred to them from the Board of Works. This w ill allow for ind epend ent, bi-partisan d ecision m aking on

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personnel and operational policy m atters. The Board of Fire Com m issioners shall be in place by July 1, 2012. Talks w ill begin im m ed iately w ith Union Tow nship Officials and new agreem ents for fire and em ergency m ed ical protection w ill be negotia ted . The city currently provid es Emergency Med ical Services to Ripley Tow nship und er a contract that is d ecad es old . Talks w ith Ripley Tow nship Officials w ill begin im m ed iately and a new agreem ent w ill be negotiated . Policies that encourage constructive feed back from fire fighters and pram ed ics regard ing the effectiveness of operations w ill be d eveloped and im plem ented . As m ayor, I w ill m eet quarterly w ith representatives of International Association of Fire Fighters, Local 4143, to facilitate open tw o-w ay com m unication and gauge to the effectiveness and efficiency of operations.

d . Wastew ater Departm ent: A m aster plan for the ongoing m aintenance/ replacem ent of capital equipm ent w ill be utilized . A plan to upgrad e our aging sew er infrastructure over tim e w ill be created .

e. Planning Departm ent: The Planning Departm ent w ill be collocated w ith the Montgom ery County Build ing Departm ent provid ing an agreem ent can be reached w ith county officials. The perm itting process w ill be stream lined The d irector w ill be actively involved in the citys econom ic d evelopm ent efforts and w ill m aintain a close w orking relationship w ith MCED

f. Storm Water Department: The Storm Water Departm ent w as created by the current ad m inistration and its d uties w ere previously hand led by the Waste Water Departm ent. Und er the Barton Ad ministration the d uties of managing our Storm Water Program w ill be transferred back to the Waste Water Departm ent w ith storm w ater sew er operational support from the Street Departm ent. This is a m uch m ore efficient use of our resources and w ill allow m ore of the fees collected to be put to use to ad d ress storm w ater issues that exist in m any areas of our city. 16 of 21

The Storm Water Board w ill be asked to consid er current rates and fees follow ing the consolid ation of these services to ensure that they are not excessive at that point.

g. Parks & Recreation: The Parks and Recreation Departm ent is an im portant part of the overall quality of life for m any people and it is an im portant com ponent in attracting new bu sinesses to our com m unity. Unfortunately, our Parks & Recreation Departm ent has suffered im m ensely in recent years, ad versely affecting those w ho rely on its services. Although, restoration of services is largely d epend ent upon the success of econom ic d evelopm ent efforts and future grow th in revenue som e steps w ill be taken im m ed iately. The Parks & Recreation Director w ill be charged w ith facilitating a w ritten assessm ent of need s and a Park Im provem ent Plan by January 1, 2013. Efforts w ill be m ad e to im p rove our parks. This can be enhanced by cooperation betw een city d epartm ents and the use of volunteer groups and through the solicitation of ind ivid ual and corporate support. It is m uch easier to seek and gain support w hen an im provem ent plan is in place. The ongoing, expensive problem of vand alism in our parks w ill be evaluated and appropriate steps taken to ad d ress the problem The Parks belong to the citizens, not the Mayor, and the current practice of posting the m ayors nam e on signs at all parks w ill be im m ed iately d iscontinued . A plan for enhancing the Sugar Creek Trail shall be d eveloped and in place by January 1, 2014. This p lan m ust includ e connecting it to the heart of our city. The trail is a w ond erfu l asset but unfortunately, m ost of our resid ents cannot access it w ithout taking a rid e in the car.

h. CELP Our electric utility has long been one of our fund am ental strengths CELP has struggled in recent years w ith an operating d eficit. This appears to have been w orsened by overhead at the pow er plant that w as not being used as w ell as by d eclining revenue resulting from the d ecreased consum ption brought on by the econom ic d ow nturn . CELP is u nd er the operational control of the Utility Services Board CELP is m anaged by a m ayoral appointm en t The Barton Ad m inistration w ill have an expectation the CELP be solvent and no longer operating at a loss by 2014. 17 of 21

6. Revitalization of Blighted Areas

Challenge: Our com m unity is being plagued by vacated , run -d ow n properties that hang over our future like a d ark cloud . These properties are not only an eyesore but present a significant risk to public safety and d im inish our ability to attract new businesses and resid ents. Som e of the w orst exam ples of such blighted areas includ e the old hospital prop erty and Ben-H ur Build ing. Other properties, how ever, such as the form er Target build ing, are at risk of quickly becom ing as bad if action is not taken. Action Plan: I w ill create a Revitalization Task Force com prised of relevant d epartm ent head s, legal counsel, a city council representative, business lead ers, and econom ic revitalization experts by January 31, 2012. This task force w ill be charged w ith stud ying the situation surround ing both the old hospital and the Ben H ur properties. They w ill be tasked w ith assem bling the background inform ation and a list of potential actions, along w ith costs associated w ith each, and reporting back to the Mayor by July 1, 2012. These options w ill then be presented to the city council and the public so that a collective, inform ed d ecision can be m ad e on how to proceed based on projected cost vs. benefit of each option or a d ecision m ay be m ad e to d o nothing. This tim eline w ill allow the council to stud y the options at the sam e tim e that projected revenue and bud gets are being consid ered for the follow ing year. If it is d eterm ined that action can be taken it could then be incorporated into the 2013 or later bud gets. Timeline Summary: January 1, 2012- Barton ad m inistration takes office January 31, 2012- Revitalization Task Force has been form ed July 1, 2012- Task Force reports back to Mayor July 2012- Options are presented to city council and p ublic for d iscussion and consid eration

7. Intergovernmental Cooperation:
All local governm ents and taxing bod ies face sim ilar challenges in tod ays w orld . It is im perative that they begin to w ork together to provid e services in a far m ore cost effective m anner. Unfortunately, the lack of cooperation betw een local governm ents in our com m unity is often cited by potential investors and visitors as one of their m ost striking im pressions. The Barton ad m inistration w ill be firm ly com m itted to seeking 18 of 21

out new and innovative w ays to build trust and cooperation betw een local governm ents. It is absolutely essential to our futu re success. As m ayor, I w ill take the lead by facilitating and hosting a bi-m onthly forum that encourages open d iscu ssion and exploration of potential w ays in w hich local governm ents can w ork together m ore effectively. Representatives from all each branch of local governm ent w ill be encouraged to participate. This w ould foster open com m unications and includ e p otential involvem ent by the city, county, tow ns, tow nships, and school corporations. The first such forum w ill be held in February 2012.

8. Infrastructure Rehabilitation and Grow th:

Our city is faced w ith the challenge of aging infrastructure, especially in the old er areas. The Barton ad m inistration w ill set out to create and im plem ent long -term plans for infrastructure m aintenance and replacem ent. In ad d ition, the potential for new grow th m ust alw ays be factored in. A long term plan w ill allow for the planned , controlled replacem ent over a greater span of tim e than the frequent need to m ake em ergency repairs and replacem ent. Sanitary Sew er Plan m ust be in place by 2013 Street Plan m ust be in place by 2013 Storm Sew er Plan m ust be in place by 2014 City Facilities Plan m u st be in place by 2014

9. Annexation and Grow th

Controlled grow th is an im portant part of the future of our city and being able to properly annex areas as city services are extend ed to them is critical. Unfortunately, w e have failed m iserably and at great expense. Any effort to annex areas that have alread y been d eveloped m ust show a cost/ benefit analysis that is clear and concise and m ust be facilitated by an open process that actively engages the property ow ner(s).

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The m ost logical areas for annexed grow th are those areas to yet be d eveloped . It shall be the policy of the Barton Ad m inistration that city utilities an d services w ill not be extend ed to unincorporated areas until they have been annexed . Legislation w ill be proposed and sought before the city council that prohibits extension of city utilities and services to areas until they have been annexed .

10. Quality of Life

Our sm all tow n quality of life is one of the m ost appealing aspects of living in Craw ford ville. We m ust, how ever, take steps to ensure that w e m aintain the quality of life w e d esire and that w e seek to im prove it. As noted earlier, our ability to successfully com plete econom ic d evelopm ent is param ount to m aintaining and im proving our quality of life. Bu t ad d itional steps m ust be taken as w ell. Econom ic d evelopm ent efforts m ust result in a statistical shift that m akes our com m unity m ore attractive to ad d itional shopping, d ining and entertainm ent options. There are m any organizations w orking hard to im prove our com m unity. The Barton ad m inistration w ill actively engage these organizations in an effort to encourage and assist them in any w ay possible. The city m ust seek to harness the great sense of com m unity prid e and utilize it for the greater good by form ing alliances to aid in keeping p ublic areas and our parks in the best shape possible. Blighted areas w ill be ad d ressed . Som e property ow ners have neglected their property resulting in a d ecreased quality of life for their neighbors. The Barton ad m inistration w ill w ork closely w ith the city cuncil to assess the need for changes in ord inances. The Barton ad m inistration w ill recognize the im portant role our m ilitary veterans and active m ilitary plays in preserving our w ay of life. As m ayor, I w ill propose legislation to the city council by Ju ne 1, 2012. To provid e specific benefits su ch as free parking in the d ow ntown business d istrict, red uced rates for services such as parks and recreation activities, for active m ilitary and veterans. The Barton ad m inistration w ill com plete a com m unity health -care need s assessm ent to begin looking at short-term and long-term issues regard ing our com m unitys health-care services, our local hospital and em ergency m ed ical services, and issues regard ing the uninsured . 20 of 21

The Barton ad m inistration w ill form a task force and volunteer corps to evaluate, revitalize, and renew Craw ford svilles gatew ays. This is essential to econom ic d evelopm ent, but m ore im portantly, its a point of our sm all-tow n prid e.

In ad d ition, w e are faced w ith the ongoing challenge of trains blocking our streets. While this m ight be ad d ressed in other sections of this plan it seem s, a bove all else, to be a d etrim ent to our quality of life, either by threatening our public safety or by causing consid erable inconvenience and threatening com m erce. The Barton Ad m inistration w ill take a tw o-pronged approach to ad d ressing this issue. 1. Short Term Plan: Because a long-term solution is likely to take som e tim e to com plete a short-term plan w ill be d eveloped and im plem ented in consultation w ith d epartm ent head s & IN DOT officials that w ill allow us to best m anage the situation and keep things m oving w hen crossings are blocked . This w ill includ e at a m inim um : Police Departm ent plan for m anaging traffic flow Fire Departm ent plan for p rovid ing tim ely service d espite blocked crossings Street Departm ent plan for the im pact of increased traffic on city streets Suggestions and requirem ents from IN DOT Proced ure for d etecting a blocked crossing and im plem enting the p lan. This could includ e relocating som e of the citys surveillance cam eras allow ing the 911 d ispatchers to have a live view of major crossings. The short term plan shall be in place by February 1, 2012.

2. Long Term Plan:

The long term plan shall be focused on elim inating the problem It should be d eveloped in consultation w ith IN DOT, traffic engineers, and railroad officials. A list of options shall be prepared and presented for consid eration by the city council and the p ublic by February 1, 2013. The city council w ith input from the public w ill have a list of the options, along w ith the associated costs of each to consid er or reject.

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